The Anticonvulsant Potential of Boswellia dalzielii in Mice - Pilot Study

The use of plants in traditional medicine entails the use of many substances in the cure of both chronic diseases as well as some acute infectious diseases. Herbal medicine is one of the oldest forms of healthcare known to mankind and has been an integral part of healthcare for many centuries, with many people depending on it as their primary form of treatment. Boswellia dalzielii is a plant belonging to the family Burseraceae, which has been widely used in African traditional medicine and was locally reported to have a wide array of medicinal values in folk medicine. The aim of this study is to assess the anticonvulsant potential of the methanolic stem bark extract of Boswellia dalzielii in mice. Phytochemical screening, acute toxicity studies were carried out. The result of the phytochemical screening of the methanol stem bark extract indicated the presence of alkaloids, glycosides, steroids, flavonoids and saponins, and the oral acute toxicity dose was found to be greater than 2000 mg/kg. The extract was tested for anticonvulsant activity against pentylenetetrazole, and strychnine-induced seizures at 100, 200, and 300 mg/kg doses in Swiss albino mice. The extract was observed to significantly (p<0.05) delay the onset of pentylenetetrazole and strychnine-induced convulsions. These results demonstrate that Boswellia dalzielii's methanol stem bark extract has anticonvulsant properties. In conclusion, these findings reinforce the ethnomedical justification for the use of Boswellia dalzielii against convulsions.

Automated summary

The use of plants in traditional medicine has been widely recognized for its effectiveness in treating chronic and infectious diseases. Boswellia dalzielii, a plant from the Burseraceae family, has been extensively used in African traditional medicine and has been found to have medicinal value. This study aims to evaluate the anticonvulsant potential of the methanolic stem bark extract of Boswellia dalzielii.